Wabi-Sabi at the Oregon Coast

I'm pleased to let you know about my next workshop--it's at one of my favorite places! What better place to play with buried treasure than the Oregon Coast?

Wabi-Sabi Buried Treasure

 Mixed Media & 3-D Embellishments with Encaustic

Saturday, August 17  10-4

Held at Bloom Artscape in Yachats, Oregon

We'll use papers and layers of encaustic medium and paint to create thick and textured pieces with 3-D touches. We’ll be working on wood panels and transforming an old book. 

Making this work is exciting--a kind of archaeological excavation in reverse! I'll show you how to create primal and mysterious work that invites the viewer to imagine a story woven into the piece with each layer and element.

You'll learn how to add layers of wax and specialty papers and how to incise into the work to show what has come before. As you add and scrape back you'll become intimate with your materials and express your deepest self.

Register through Sandy and keep your eye on the Bloom site --more about this workshop will be up there soon.

Inspired by Desert

The weeks since my vacation in New Mexico have flown by. The happy hours I spent watching the majestic scenery from the passenger window have remained with me. I didn't plan it, but this new piece carries the spirit of the amazing rock formations we saw in Moab, Utah on the way home.

Moab   Cold Wax and Oil on Panel  10" x 8" x 1.5" 

A reader recently asked about cold wax, as I've been posting a lot of pieces done in cold wax and oil. Good question! 

In my book, I mention cold wax medium as an excellent sealant for paintings and collages. (Page 21) and for use with oil paint on plaster (Pages 46-49.)  I'll be going to the North Light Headquarters early next month to film two DVDS on wabi-sabi art making. One of these will show you a lot more about how to use cold wax!

Cold wax is a mixture of melted beeswax and mineral spirits which has been mixed together and allowed to harden into a soft paste. It makes a delicious medium to use with oil paint and powdered pigment. Unlike hot wax, or encaustic, it takes a long time to dry, so it's good to work on several pieces at once. You can incise and scrape to reveal previous layers and make unlimited textures. I'll keep you posted on the progress of the DVDs!

Nature's Wabi-Sabi Textures

I took these today riding through Moab, Utah.

Today's Wabi-Sabi Photos

I'm thinking about oil and cold wax or encaustic paintings based on these photos. Can you tell what they are showing?